It's not the only Google service i use. In fact it would be easier to list the services is use regularly that aren't Google. None that spring to mind (websites (and RSS feeds) not included. I have Google's personalized homepage as my first port of call on the web; i use Gmail as my main e-mail system; Google calendar keeps me from forgetting whats coming up; Google groups gives me an indispensable resource for support; blogger is owned by Google and allows me to spout off to the world; picasa sorts out my photos, and, once the Linux version catches up, will allow me to post my pictures direct to here, and to web albums for my friends and family to view; there is also, obviously, search. All in all, Google has it covered.
So, how do i go about using these services? Well, the personalized homepage is my first stop. This service just gets better and better. With plug-in modules, and tabs, it allows me to see everything that i have an interest in at one shot. On every tab, I have the ubiquitous search engine, and a corner box giving me 1 click access to all my services. My first tab gives me my latest mail, my coming calendar week, an up to date view of my most visited google groups, and some witty quotes. The second tab is all RSS feeds from my most visited sites (and this gets easier by the day as more sites give one click access to their information). I can see at a glance what is going on in local and world news, technology, music, and gadgets / hardware. All with one click access to the underlying stories. The final tab has some jokes, some direct website links (my transportable favourites) and a pacman game for those non-existent dull moments. All in all, a veritable one stop shop for the web.
Gmail started off great and just got better and better! I have my e-mail where ever i have Internet access. It is all categorized automatically, extremely accurate at detecting spam, and searchable in any way i have needed to date. I have just downloaded the Gmail app (you need to use that link from a mobile phone) for my mobile phone, so i can access my mail anywhere i have a signal. (This and the last entry were both written on my phone). Gmail also gives me direct access to Google chat. Not my most used feature (most people i know are on MSN), but still useful when clarification is needed on a recent e-mail, or a conversation needs more back and forth than really suits e-mail.
A number of years ago, before Google was synonymous with search (yes, such a time existed!), there was a web site called dejanews. This was a great resource for accessing newsgroups from a website. An absolute necessity for office support workers. Newsgroups are an extremely valuable source of real world information. Google bought this company, and slowly re-branded it Google groups. In time they added mailing lists and posting, expanding this already fantastic resource. Google groups is always my second port of call for support once a normal web search has failed to turn up an answer.
As I was hoping in a much earlier post, Google calendar has been the answer to the majority of my needs. I have 2 calendars, and access to my wife's. Between these we can keep our lives in check. As already mentioned, Google calendar plugs into my homepage. There is also text messages whenever an event is due to start. Wherever I am I know where I need to be next!
I am also signed up, obviously, to blogger. With the new release this is tied to my Google account, so I have single sign-on to my services. I also have access to docs and spreadsheets, a portable version of basic office functionality. It's not there yet, but functionality is increasing all the time. Charts in the spreadsheet app will make a huge difference, but the lack of code will make it impossible for me to use frequently.
On the sidelines is Google earth and picasa. Google earth is pretty, but not something I use much. I am glad they ported it to Linux though, eye candy is always welcome when showing off an OS that isn't windows! Picasa, on the other hand, is an app coming into it's own. With the addition of picasa web albums, and the direct access from one to the other (hopefully coming soon on Linux) you can keep all your photos catalogued, and share them with your friends and family from one app.
I've touched on Google chat from an internal mail perspective. I also have Google talk and Google desktop installed on the majority of windows boxes i use. These 2 tie together to let me search all my local documents, the web, my local mail, and my gmail from one easy interface. They also inform me of new mails, and new news on my frequently visited websites. Not as heavily used as it could be ( a FireFox tab is always available for searches), but part of the whole package.
Finally, for this post, there is search. What more can be written on this?! I can, and regularly do, search the web, individual sites, pages, images, news, purchases, newsgroups, mailing lists, videos, and probably a couple I've forgotten. One worthy of a mention is Google local. Allowing me to search for businesses in an area easily, and tying it into a detailed map of the area allows me to plan excursions and awkward shopping trips far easier than I used to. I know that without Google we'd all still be using Yahoo, or Altavista, or Hotbot, but would it be as good? Probably not.
So there you have it. My life is run by Google! Do I feel happy about this? Yes. Would I let anyone else do it? Probably not. I for one hope they go from strength to strength, and the functionality just keeps getting better.
